To understand the epidemiological characteristics and causes of bacterial food poisoning in Guangxi for reference to the prevention of bacterial food poisoning,the causes and investigation reports of food poisoning occurring around Guangxi from 2000 to 2003 were analyzed. 105 bacterial food poisoning outbreaks were reported, in which ~17?915 people ate the food, ~3?557 got poisoned (the attack rate being 19.85%) and 34 died. The numbers of outbreaks, cases and deaths of bacterial food poisoning accounted for 22.83%,38.29% and 27.64% respectively of those of overall food poisoning in the same period. The peak months were from April to October. 66.71% of the poisoned and 100% death of food poisoning occurred in Hechi and Baise in the northwest of Guangxi, as well as Nanning, Liuzhou and Guilin. The food poisoning occurred primarily from the contamination and mishandling of raw foods (mainly meat, corn and their products) and cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods at rural family dinner parties, catering units and public cafeterias. The most common pathogen causing food poisoning was Salmonella, followed by Bacillus cereous, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus, Vibrio parahemolyticus, Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farino fermentans and Enteropathogenic E.coli. The highest attack rate in people who ate the contaminated food was caused by Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farino fermentans(98.61%), followed by Salmonella(38.58%), Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (34.48%), Bacillus cereous(10.65%). All the deaths were caused by eating the fermentive corn flour contaminated with the toxin of Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farino fermentans. Bacterial food poisoning is an important part of food poisoning in Guangxi. There is a significant difference between food borne bacteria (toxins) and attack rates in people consuming the food. Changing the improper practices of handling foods for family dinner parties in rural areas and storing foods too long by enhanced health education, implementing the quantitative and classified management for food hygienic supervision at school cafeterias and catering units, are the key programs for the prevention and control of food poisoning.=